Folding table with interlocking legs



March 22, 1960 R. A. MILLER 2,929,666

FOLDING TABLE WITH INTERLOCKING LEGS Filed April 23, 1958 INVENTOR. ROBERT A. MILLER BY6DWMM A'ITORNEYS United States Patent 2,929,666 FOLDING TABLE WITH INTERLOCKING LEGS Robert A. Miller, Grand Haven, Mich.

Application April 23, 1958, Serial No. 730,441

1 Claim. (Cl. 311-83) This invention relates to folding tray tables, and more particularly to an inexpensive, lightweight, readily collapsible tray table construction to provide a tray table which is easily erected, and is stable in its erected form.

There are numerous uses for a folding type tray table. Such tables are used as occasional tables placed near easy chairs, bridge tables, etc., in entertaining guests. They are used as quick snack tables for the family. They serve equally as well indoors and out, and are relocated from the living room, to the recreation room, and to the outdoor patio. Accordingly, it is desirable that these tables be readily portable, easily erected and collapsed, compact for storage, sturdy in construction, stable in use, and relatively inexpensive to manufacture and assemble.

It is an object of this invention to teach a folding tray table construction suitable for the aforementioned and numerous other uses.

The folding tray table of this invention is exceptionally simple in construction. Aside from the tray table member itself there is provided a tripod arrangement of legs. The legs are all made of the same material and, in fact, two of the legs are made from the same member formed to provide the legs and an inter-connecting hinge axis therefore. The third leg member is formed to provide its own separate hinge axis and includes a leg interlocking member which is formed from the same stock from which all of the legs are made.

The folding tray table of this invention is readily collapsible into a compact unit for ease in storage and is just as readily erected for use. Two of the three leg members which are provided are crossed and are secured together at their junction to provide a support for the third leg member. The third leg member is of a length which prevents its disengagement from the support provided by the other legs, and is of a weight, and is sufficiently loose hinged, to be at all times guided within such support.

This invention teaches a simple and effective means of locking the table legs together to provide a secure and stable support for the tray table member. A forked prong is secured to the third leg member and is disposed for overlapping engagement with the other two legs. The fork arms of the prong member lockingly engage each of the crossed legs to the third leg member. The weight of the tray table member, and anything disposed thereon, assists in maintaining this locked interengagement of the leg members.

The use of a three legged tray table support provides stability on plain surfaced or irregular ground. Accordingly the tray table is equally adaptable for indoor and outdoor use.

The tray table folds fiat and may be supported on a wall peg or hook with several other similar tray tables.

The guided disposition of the third leg member and its leg interlocking prong member enable the table to be erected or collapsed by the use of one hand. This leaves a person's other hand free to hold objects which are intended to be placed on the tray table, or which have just been removed therefrom.

These and other objects and advantages will be more apparent in the illustration and description of a working embodiment of this invention, as hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the folding tray table of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the folding tray table in a partially collapsed condition.

Fig. 3 is a back or bottom view of the tray table in a folded or collapsed condition.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of the means for interlocking the table supporting legs, as seen in the plane of line IVIV of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows thereon.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of the means for interlocking the table supporting legs, as seen in the plane of line V-V of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows thereon. I

The folding tray table includes a tray table member 10 which may be formed to include a pan area 12 bordered by a peripheral flange 14. The tray table 10 is intended to be supported in a horizontally disposed position to receive and support articles within the pan area 12 thereof. The peripheral flange 14 serves as a safeguard against articles being inadvertently knocked oil the tray table.

The tray table member 10 may be made by a simple stamping operation. The pan area 12 is sufficient'ly shallow that no consideration need be given to deep drawing dies or the like as regards forming the tray table member.

The tray table member 10 is supported by a tripod arrangement of legs 16, 18 and 20. The table supporting legs 16 and 18 are made from a common piece of bar stock material which is formed to provide both legs and an interconnecting cross member 22. The cross member 22 serves as a hinge bar in securing legs 16 and 18 to the underside of the tray table member 10.

The table supporting legs 16 and 18 are crossed over and are secured together at their junction 24. This is best shown by Fig. 3. The hinge bar, formed by the cross member 22, is journalled for rotation to the underside of the tray table member 10. Simple hinge forming brackets 26 and 28 are tack or spot welded to the underside of the tray table 10 for such purpose.

The third table supporting leg 20 is made of the same bar stock as legs 16 and 18. It is a separate piece which is formed to include its own hinge bar 30. The hinge bar 30 of leg 20 is secured to the underside of the tray table member it by a hinge forming bracket 32. The end of the hinge bar 30 is bent over, at 34, to provide a stop for retaining the hinge bar in engagement with the hinge bracket 32.

The hinge bar 22, of the legs 16 and 18, is mounted to the underside of the tray table member 10 near one edge thereof. The hinge bar 30 is mounted to the underside of the tray table member 10 in parallel spaced relation to the hinge bar 22 and near an opposite edge of the tray table apart therefrom.

The third leg member 39 is received between the hinge bar 22 and the crossover junction 24 of the other legs 16 and 18. The leg 30 is of such length that it is never disengaged from the fork junction provided by legs 16 and 18, even in the collapsed condition of the tray table structure as shown by Fig. 3. Furthermore, the leg 30 is of such a weight, and is sufficiently loose hinged, that it is at all times disposed and guided within the crook of legs 16 and 18. 7

A forked prong 40 is secured to the leg 20 intermediate its terminal and hinged ends. The prong member 40 in eludes I fork arms 36 and 38 which extend towards the terminal end of leg 20. The arms 36 and 38 extend outwardly on opposite sides of leg 20 sufiiciently to engage the legs 16 and 18, as .the leg 20 movesrelatively thereto in sliding down the crook or fork .24. The forkedlafms 36 and38 are formed and disposed to receive the legs 16 and 18 between themselves and the' leg 20, as shown by.Figs..4 and 5. 1 The prong member is secured to the underside of the leg '20 in order to catch legs 16 and 18 nearer their crossover junction. A simple closed loop member 42, or something similar, may be usedto provide a -holder for the table tray structure. The closed loop member .42 is shown secured to the'underside of flange 14 of the tray table member. It -could bese'curedto the base of the tray table member, or elsewhere, so long as it isexposed overthe edge of the tray table .w'hencollaps'ed. The holder 42 is used to supportthe'tray table. structure on'a wall peg', hook, or the like. i

The tray table structure is stored in the collapsed or folded'condition shown by Fig. 3. The legs 16, 18 and 201m .freely'from the tray table member 10. The structure may be leaned against the wall, standing on legs 16 and 18, or hungby the closed loop holder 42.

"' The tray table structure is erected in the manner shown by Fig. 2. The tray table 10 is held at the edge near :which leg 20 is engaged. Legs 16 and 18 are rested on .the'ground. The tray table 10 is then allowed to pivot about the hinge bar 22 from the full line to dotted line (position shown by Fig. 2. In so doing, the leg 20 slides' within the crook of fork 2 4, of legs 16 and 18, until stopped by the engagement of the leg locking prong member 40 with legs 16 and 18. .The locking prong 40 automatically comes into engagement with both legs 16 and 18 since it is guided'by' leg 20 which rests in the lcrook formed by the legs.

f The locking prong 40 prevents further relative move- ,ment of leg 20 by its limit engagement with legs 16 and '18. At the same time the fork arms 36 and 38 hold leg .20 in the crook of legs 16 and 18 and prevent its sliding up the legs and being disengaged.

The weight of the tray table member 10, and any articles supported'thereon, serves to hold the legs mere 8:.- curely interlocked. f

The tray table is collapsed, or folded, simply by raising the edge of the tray table member 10 and dislocating the interlocking prong 40 from engagement with legs 16 and 18.

While a preferred embodiment of this invention has been described, it will be understood that other 'modifications and improvements may be made thereto. Such of these modifications and improvements as incorporate the principles of this invention are to be considered as included in the hereinafter appended claim unless this claim by its language expressly states otherwise.

I claim:

A foldable table comprising: a top; a pair of legs hing edly secured to said top adjacent one end of said top and intersecting for forming an X, said legs being rigidly secured together at said intersection; a third '1 eg hingedly secured to said top adjacent the other end of said top; saidthird leg being supported within the fork formed at said intersection on the side of said intersection adjacent said top; a. generally U-shaped fork arm secured to said third leg and having its sides generally parallel to said third leg and projecting away from'said top slidably to seat about, firmly embrace, and lock with said pair of legs at said intersection for holding said table in'erected position.

References Cited in the file ofthis patent France July 16, 1868 

